Not all door openers can be controlled with a smartphone

First, you need to know that not every brand of garage door opener has this option. We’ll start by examining the most popular ones, LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Craftsman openers.

Keep one year in mind – 1998. Why? That was the year the Chamberlain company and its trademarked LiftMaster and Craftsman brands, started offering its Security+ system.

How do know when a garage door opener was made? That’s easy to solve. Look on the metal housing of the motor and you should see written Security+, Security+ 2.0 and if it was manufactured after 2012, the MyQ logo. Alternatively, you can make sure by looking for the “Learn” button. It should be a yellow square, a purple square or a yellow circle. There should also be a sticker on the motor that will give you the opener model number and its date of manufacture.

If your opener isn’t one of the three brands mentioned previously, happily the MyQ application is designed to be compatible with several brands of garage door openers that use rolling code technology. Even so, MyQ technology doesn’t work with garage door openers whose remotes use DIP switches (in +, 0 and – positions).

Here are the other brands of door openers that are compatible with MyQ:

Genie/Overhead Door: 315/390MHz - Intellicode 1 and Intellicode 2

Stanley: 310MHz – SecureCode

Wayne‑Dalton: 372.5MHz – KeeLoq

Linear: 318MHz - Megacode

Done! I can confirm my door opener made after 1998…

Here, we are still referring to the Chamberlain, LiftMaster and Craftsman brands. Take a step ladder and climb up and check the colour of the Learn button. Take off the plastic cap that protects the lightbulb and see if the button is:

Orange: then it’s a door opener made between 1996 and 2005, equipped with the Security+ system

Purple: a door opener made between 2006 and 2014, equipped with the Security+ system

After August 2012, the button is Yellow, and is equipped with the Security+ 2.0 system

And since August 2017, Wi-Fi (the logo is seen on the motor chassis) has been integrated into door openers in addition to having the Security+ 2.0 system. This button is also Yellow.

Note that the dates mentioned about are approximate. There could be a difference of a few months and one year could be superimposed over another.

Next, what else do I need?

Based on the model you have, here is how you can connect your garage door opener with the MyQ™ app. If you have a:

Door opener with only “Security+” mentioned:

You will need two accessories to be able to link your door opener to the MyQ app. One 888LM wall control panel. Be aware that this comes standard with the 8500C model, and one Internet Gateway (828LM).

Door opener with Security+ 2.0 and MyQ:

You will only need the Internet Gateway (828LM).

So, no more wondering, and now with MyQ technology, you will know if your garage door is open or not.

For your information, be aware that since August 2017, Chamberlain and LiftMaster door opener come equipped with MyQ technology and integrated Wi-Fi. With the Wi-Fi system, you can add peripheral devices like home lighting and also interact with the biggest name in integrated home technologies like Apple HomeKit and Google Home.